Monday, 7/15/19 – Pressing on…

Flickering bulbs…

The stairs to our basement make an abrupt 180 degree turn at a landing about halfway down. There’s a light bulb on the ceiling over top half of the stairway and another light bulb on the ceiling above the bottom half. For a couple of weeks now that bottom light bulb has been flickering momentarily when we first flip the switch.

I have found that generally there are two possible causes for this: One is that the filament inside the bulb has broken yet leaving the two strands close enough together that a spark can still complete the connection and hold it in place while the bulb is lit by sheer electrical magnetism. A bulb usually does not last long in this state and eventually must be replaced. The other cause is that the bulb has just vibrated itself a tiny bit loose in the socket, again forming enough of a gap in the circuit to cause the initial flickering. When this is the case one merely needs to tighten the bulb and everything works as good as new.

I’m not sure which problem we have with that bottom bulb. I haven’t yet gotten around to inspecting it. But whichever it is I know the problem resides within the bulb itself. There is nothing wrong with the power supply.

It’s unsafe if that lower basement light is not functioning. Without the light it’s very dark down there. It’s dangerous! People can trip going up or down the stairs whether they’re the homeowner or a visitor. We know just how dangerous this is from first-hand experience; some of you will remember a few months back when my wife made a misstep and tumbled down that very stairwell. Though her fall wasn’t due to darkness, we know nonetheless that darkness can be deadly.

When you think about it, this is exactly what Pastor Andrew was warning us of this past Sunday. “Darkness comes when there is no light.” he said. And darkness comes to any church when it is not fully connected to its Power!

“Abide in Me,” urges Jesus. (John 15:4). Stay connected! Remain in Him.

The church in Ephesus was told to reconnect to their first love, to return to Jesus in living relationship not merely busy themselves in a cause. If not, they were warned, God would “remove [their] lampstand from its place.” (Rev. 2:4), i.e. He would remove their church (See Rev. 1:20).

I’m hoping the bulb in our basement merely needs tightening. More than that, I’m praying that all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ will tighten their nearness to Him… feel the full surge of confident, unwavering power running through them and bring light to this dark and dangerous world.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:12-14)

“Where is the disconnect?” asked Pastor Andrew. The nearer we get to know someone the more we know we can trust them… we know we can take them at their word.

More tomorrow…